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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ball — a great time
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cue — a signal
  8. club — a group
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. march — the month
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. club — for dancing
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — a hint
  18. sharp — clever
  19. march — the month
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. march — music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com